89th And Broke

I'm a young professional living in Astoria (formerly of Williamsburg, the UES and Murray Hill - I move a lot!). I'm always looking for something fun to do or the best place to grab a drink and dinner at an affordable price around the city.
Have a suggestion? Email me at Laura AT 89thandbroke DOT com.

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My Saving Grace: Luigi’s Pizzeria

By Caryn, on October 28, 2011, 6:35 am

Monday was my version of Alexanderâ€™s Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day, starting with losing my apartment keys and running to the hardware store to make copies of my superâ€™s keys making me more than 30 minutes late to class, and ending with a mouse making itself comfortable in my kitchen, with a whole lot of school and personal drama thrown in the middle. Naturally the only comforts in these situations for mature people such as myself are food and/or drinks, and not wanting to take the risk of starting my week off on a bender, I chose to skip the alcohol and eat my feelings with pizza. Not a bad decision actually.

Luigiâ€™s Pizzeria on 88th and 1st was the best part of my Monday, although that obviously isnâ€™t saying much.Â I opted for two slices: what appeared to be a Grandma slice (square but not as thick as Sicilian) and another square slice with Gorgonzola, carmelized onions and a balsamic drizzle. Since the gorgonzola piece was the only one left of its kind, I decided to eat that one first assuming it was older and wouldnâ€™t taste as fresh or good as the Grandma slice.

Bad assumption – that Gorgonzola slice was superb. The cheese wasnâ€™t too overpowering (a fear of mine with any blue variety) and it was perfectly complemented by the sweet balsamic drizzle and carmelized onions. It was one of the most satisfying pieces of pizza Iâ€™ve had in a long time, and emotional breakdown or not, that IS saying something!

Unfortunately the Grandma slice didn’t hold a candle to that Gorgonzola slice. It was definitely tasty (I really liked the tomato sauce) and I honestly have nothing to complain about, but it simply wasnâ€™t as good as my first slice. It was just generically good. Perhaps itâ€™s because I was already filling up or because the savory after the sweet wasnâ€™t as appealing, but I preferred the Gorgonzola slice and canâ€™t wait to get it again.